Invited for the Longterm
by Dancing Feather
Summary: He didn't even notice him coming in. Sleeping as if nothing was wrong, his only regret was that he couldn't deaden the pain. :oneshot:


I got inspired by some political riffs, the American band 'The Cars' and their song, 'Just What I Needed' and the great lack of Japan/America. Dang it, do STWW and I have to do everything? Hidekaz Himaruya still owns Hetalia, and I hope he does for a very long time to come. Any errors would love to be corrected, thank you!

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**Invited for the Longterm**

He has come around quite often now. In the past his arrival was always obvious; crashing, banging and shouting. But these days as of late, Japan could walk into a room and just find him there. He would give a cheerful wave, and Japan would return a calmer one back.

Today, as Japan was dusting he found him lying out on a lazily scrolled out bed. Diagonally lying across it, hugging the pillow Japan bought specially when he came. Everything else seemed to be too small for him.

"Good afternoon, America-san."

Getting no response Japan set himself back to work, if a bit more quietly this time. After wiping down a cabinet, he noticed that America still had his boots on. Sighing, he placed his equipment down before setting himself by the larger nation's feet. Tugging at both straps and laces, eventually the boots became loose. Pulling, he noted the tears and accompanying holes.

"You should be more careful." He found himself saying automatically. Japan said it a lot to him, but he found that America payed as much attention to his advice awake quite the same amount as when he was sleeping.

So not much difference.

He placed the boots where he thought all shoes belonged, by the front door. Since he was in the midst of cleaning, he thought he might as well do America's shoes as well. Chipping dried mud and dead plant life from between the groves.

"You shouldn't overwork."

Again, no response. But this one was a given, since they were not in the same room.

When he returned to the room, America was still where he was when Japan had left him. As he took the feather duster from the neighboring table, he noticed America was still wearing his glasses. Apparently, he was too tired to be bothered to remove those either.

_'Really,' _Sighed Japan as he placed himself down by America's head. _'This is no way to properly sleep. He might bend the frames.' _Gently pulling the gold rims from America's face, he bit his lower lip as the blond's eyebrows furrowed.

"D-don't..." He mumbled, fingers flecking. "'m oukee... 'm goud..." Japan retreated back with the glasses, placing them in his left sleeve pocket.

"America-san, you must be uncomfortable..." He stopped, realizing that America was only talking in his sleep. Inhaling deeply, he started to loosen the pale blue tie and unbutton the vest that held it there. Being the only piece of silk America wore, the tie came off easy. Sliding from around his collar and into Japan's lap. It too, was placed in his sleeve pocket.

It smelled lightly of gun smoke.

He brought a blanket over, but he wasn't sure about placing it over someone who already was wearing so many layers. Japan decided to place it along side of America, with a pair of more decent pajamas. Just in case America woke up and decided to change tactics.

Noticing the feather duster on the floor, Japan was reminded of the work he should be doing. Leaning over to grab it from where he was sitting, he eyed it a bit, twirling the wooden handle between his hands. _'I should go back to work.' _He told himself before glancing over at America.

But he did not feel like cleaning anymore.

Plucking a loose feather from the flock, Japan laid the duster aside. Inching closer to America, he stuck the black feather out, wiggling it as it made contact with the other nation's nose.

"Ahm..." Nose twitching, America unconsciously twitched his head away from the feather. "Stop tha' England..." He frowned as he hugged himself. "You're such... 'n ass..." Japan couldn't help it when a smile began to bleed onto his face. Well, at least the blame was not on he.

_'Alright, I've had my fun.'_ Japan scolded himself, the smile folding. _'I should get back to work.' _But with a great lack of motivation, Japan found himself still sitting beside America. _'He must be really tired,'_ Japan thought, _'to sleep through all of this.' _He blinked, realizing that he had started stroking America's hair. Jerking his hand back, he placed it to his face hoping it would help cool down is now blushing cheeks.

_'Maybe... maybe I'm a little tired myself...' _Japan tried to reassure himself, wringing his empty right sleeve in his hands.

"What are ya doing, Japan?" Japan gasped, looking down to see a very awake America. He hadn't moved from where he laid, but his eyes still held the brightness of a newly replaced light bulb.

"I-I... well, to say the least-" He began to scoot away. "I'm sorry for disturbing you!" The scooting stopped when America grabbed the hem of his outfit.

"Disturb? Nah, you're fine." He grinned. "Do what you want, it's your house."

"All the same, you are a guest."

"An uninvited guest. Feel free to tell me to get lost!" America teased, knowing very well what Japan's reaction to that offer was.

"Never! B-but..."

"Do you have my glasses?" America pointed to his face indicating the missing icon.

"Ah! Yes." Japan pulled them out, trying to hide behind his bangs. "I'm really, very sorry..."

"Stop apologizing," America pushed the glasses back. "I was just wondering where they were." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath doing so. "Don't mind me, I'm just getting some shut eye." Becoming very still, Japan watched as exhaustion crept unto that smiling face. "Thanks for your offer, anyways." He mumbled before drifting off. Japan remembered the smell of gun smoke and began to stroke America's hair again. Perhaps, he should take a nap as well.

Cleaning the house wasn't helping him forget the problems of now.

"Please America-san, you can come over anytime."

He wouldn't mind more moments like these, if only there would be another reason for their origin. Stained swords didn't smell any better.

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I know a lot of American slang, but I don't quite understand the meaning 'shut eye'. Is it for short naps or deep sleeping- or is it both?


End file.
